The Manchester United rebuild is well and truly underway.
Michael Carrick has brought in the likes of Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, but with less than a month before the start of the Premier League season, there is surely more to come from Manchester United, as they plan their return to the Champions League and add depth to their squad.
So what's the best-case scenario for the rest of the window?
Manchester United's dream transfer window
1. Another left-winger to add depth in attack
Manchester United played just 40 games in all competitions last season. While the attack of Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo clicked nicely in their first season, they may well need some supplementing to compete across four fronts.
Cunha lacks a stylistic backup, meaning that should the Brazilian play as a false nine, there's no obvious stand-in on the left wing, with Mason Mount and Patrick Dorgu offering something a little different. Links to Ismaila Sarr make sense given United's success in poaching Prem-proven attackers last summer, with the Red Devils needing an attacker who can hack the out-of-possession intensity and put up numbers similar to Cunha's. Those combined factors probably rule out Rafael Leao and a return for Marcus Rashford.
2. Quality secured at right-back
This will be Diogo Dalot's ninth season as a United player, while Noussair Mazraoui has failed to make the right-back spot his own for one reason or another: it's a clear area of improvement for the Red Devils, and Carrick needs an equal to Patrick Dorgu on the opposite flank.
United have been sporadically linked with Julian Ryerson for the spot, and with the Borussia Dortmund man a top-level chance creator, signing him could benefit the attack as much as the defence, perhaps improving Bruno Fernandes even further, even after the season of his life. With both Dalot and Mazraoui capable of playing on the left, only one of them would have to depart, surely.
3. A back-up striker who can ease the burden on Benjamin Sesko
Sesko is still just 23 and adjusting to Premier League football. Cunha can play up front, as noted – but not only has Joshua Zirkzee has underwhelmed as the Slovenian's alternative, he's a slightly different profile who prefers to come short, rather than run in behind.
While a marquee striker to compete with Sesko would be lovely, there are very few of them about – especially for a competitive price. Surely, United can do worse than a homecoming for Danny Welbeck: turning 36 this autumn but still in good physical condition, excellent in big games and with bags of experience behind him.
Welbz played 40 times in all competitions last term and could only feature in half of that figure this time around, as the elder statesman in United's attack. But reliability and work-rate are currencies that United have gambled on all too often in the last decade, and you know exactly what you're getting from the Brighton man for a season before launching that megabid for a new no.9 in 12 months' time.
4. A genuine ball-winning midfielder
Youri Tielemans is a forward-thinking no.6 who has been at his best over the years when placed next to an Andre Onana or a Wilfried Ndidi to mop up for him. Kobbie Mainoo is not a ball-winning monster, however; Andrey Santos, meanwhile, is a little raw.
The revival of Casemiro last season showed just how valuable a good, old-fashioned destroyer could really be at Old Trafford, and an injury to Manuel Ugarte surely makes this one a no-brainer. Carlos Baleba's stock has fallen enough since he was last linked with a move to be considerably cheaper than the Caicedo-sized fee demanded last summer – while Tyler Adams and Manu Kone could both be transformational.
Eduardo Camavinga remains the dream, however. The Frenchman is coming into his prime, has the physicality for the Premier League and his ability to play at left-back, too, might see United go with more creative midfields against deep blocks (especially with Ryerson on the other side). It's the one midfield position that Carrick hasn't signed thus far, and it could well elevate this side to challenge for a title.
How Manchester United's squad could look after a dream transfer window…
